Borrowdale CofE Primary School
Borrowdale, Keswick, CA12 5XG
- Phase
- Primary
- School type
- Voluntary aided school
- Ages
- 3 to 11
- Gender
- Mixed
- Religious character
- Church of England
- Headteacher
- Mr Ralf Smits
- Diocese
- Diocese of Carlisle
- Nursery provision
- Has Nursery Classes
- Constituency
- Penrith and Solway
- Setting
- Smaller rural: Further from a major town or city
- Capacity
- 56
- Pupils on roll
- 31
- URN
- 112333
- Local authority
- Cumberland
- Website
- School website
- Telephone
- 01768777686
About this school
Borrowdale CofE Primary School is a Church of England voluntary aided primary school in Keswick. It teaches children aged 3 to 11 and has 31 pupils on roll.
Ofsted has inspected Borrowdale CofE Primary School, and its latest judgement is set out below. Where the Department for Education has published them, its results and pupil characteristics appear below. Numbers and a report only go so far, so visit in person before you apply.
Ofsted judgement
Overall judgement at the last full inspection
This inspection took place under the previous framework, which gave a single overall grade. Ofsted now publishes report cards instead, so newer inspections of other schools will look different. How Ofsted report cards work
- Quality of education
- Good
- Behaviour and attitudes
- Good
- Personal development
- Good
- Leadership and management
- Good
- Early years
- Good
- Safeguarding
- Effective
Exam results
Key stage 2 (end of primary school)
| Measure | 2022/23 | 2023/24 | 2024/25 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pupils at the end of key stage 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 |
| Met the expected standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Reached the higher standard in reading, writing and maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in reading | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in maths | - | - | - |
| Expected standard in grammar, punctuation and spelling | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in reading | - | - | - |
| Average scaled score in maths | - | - | - |
Trends over time
How Borrowdale CofE Primary School has moved over recent years against the local and national picture. Every figure is shown in the table beneath its chart.
| Year | This school | England average |
|---|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 5.9% | 6.8% |
| 2023/24 | 7.2% | 6.6% |
| 2024/25 | 4.9% | 6.2% |
Department for Education pupil absence data.
| Year | This school |
|---|---|
| 2022/23 | 29 |
| 2023/24 | 27 |
| 2024/25 | 33 |
School census, spring count each academic year.
How Borrowdale CofE Primary School compares
Its absence rate was lower than 64% of England schools in 2024/25.
| School | KS2 RWM (2024/25) | Absence | FSM (6 years) | Pupils | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This school | — | 4.9% | 24% | 31 | — |
| St Herbert's CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School | 54% | 3.3% | 6.8% | 266 | 6.0 miles |
| Braithwaite CofE Primary School | 36% | 6% | 14.6% | 40 | 6.2 miles |
| Grasmere CofE Primary School | 80% | 2.2% | 5.6% | 89 | 6.5 miles |
| Langdale CofE School | — | 8.9% | 28% | 31 | 6.7 miles |
| Threlkeld CofE Primary School | 33% | 7.4% | 14.3% | 41 | 8.0 miles |
Results reflect each school's cohort as much as its teaching, and free school meals share is context, not a judgement. Small gaps between neighbouring schools are rarely meaningful on their own.
School context
From the 2024/25 school census and absence figures.
- Free school meals (last 6 years)
- 24%
- English as an additional language
- 6.1%
- Overall absence
- 4.86%
- Persistent absence
- 8.7%
Location
Nearby schools
-
St Herbert's CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School6.0 miles
Primary · Keswick
-
Braithwaite CofE Primary School6.2 miles
Primary · Keswick
-
Grasmere CofE Primary School6.5 miles
Primary · Ambleside
-
Langdale CofE School6.7 miles
Primary · Ambleside
-
Threlkeld CofE Primary School8.0 miles
Primary · Keswick
Other schools in Keswick
- Bassenthwaite Primary School Primary
- Braithwaite CofE Primary School Primary
- St Herbert's CofE (VA) Primary and Nursery School Primary
- Threlkeld CofE Primary School Primary
- Keswick School Secondary
- Old Windebrowe Special schools
Common questions
- What ages does Borrowdale CofE Primary School teach?
- Borrowdale CofE Primary School teaches children aged 3 to 11. It is a primary school in Keswick.
- Who is the headteacher of Borrowdale CofE Primary School?
- The headteacher of Borrowdale CofE Primary School is Mr Ralf Smits, as recorded in the Department for Education's register of schools.
- Has Borrowdale CofE Primary School been inspected?
- Ofsted has inspected Borrowdale CofE Primary School, and its latest judgement is set out in the inspection section on this page, with the framework and the date it was made.
- How many pupils are at Borrowdale CofE Primary School?
- Borrowdale CofE Primary School has 31 pupils on roll, teaching children aged 3 to 11.
- Is Borrowdale CofE Primary School full?
- Borrowdale CofE Primary School has capacity for 56 pupils and 31 on roll (55%), so it has space against its published capacity. Places are allocated through the local authority's admissions process, so capacity alone does not tell you whether a place is available.
- Is Borrowdale CofE Primary School a faith school?
- Yes. Borrowdale CofE Primary School is designated Church of England, in the Diocese of Carlisle.
- Does Borrowdale CofE Primary School have a nursery?
- Yes. The schools register records Borrowdale CofE Primary School as having nursery classes.
- What is Borrowdale CofE Primary School's absence rate?
- Borrowdale CofE Primary School's overall absence rate is 4.9% in the latest published census, at or below the England average of 6.2%.
- What are Borrowdale CofE Primary School's exam results?
- Where the Department for Education has published them, Borrowdale CofE Primary School's key stage results are shown in the results section on this page, with the last three years so you can see the trend rather than a single year.
School details come from the Department for Education's Get Information About Schools register. Inspection outcomes come from Ofsted, and exam results from the Department for Education's school performance service. This page was last updated on 29 June 2026.